Meet deep-sea scientists from America’s only research vessel dedicated to scientific ocean drilling, the JOIDES Resolution, and participate in hands-on activities for kids. Scientists and educators who have been onboard the JOIDES Resolution will be stationed in the Aquarium’s Great Hall to lead a variety of special programs that allow visitors to learn more about this remarkable ship and the amazing things it has discovered about the Earth. Families can participate in fun, hands-on activities while talking to the scientists and educators. These activities explore the extinction of the dinosaurs, microscopic fossils, what causes volcanoes, and more. Visitors can be part of a live videochat to talk with scientists and educators currently on the ship in the Pacific Ocean and learn about the latest expedition.

Story time sessions will feature readings of the children’s book Uncovering Earth’s Secrets: Science and Adventure on the JOIDES Resolution. The e-book version will be projected on the movie screen during the reading.

The JOIDES Resolution (the JR) is the nation’s only research vessel dedicated to scientific ocean drilling. For over forty years, the JR and its predecessor the Glomar Challenge have carried international teams of scientists around the world on expeditions to collect rock and sediment samples from the ocean floor. The JR is both a drill ship and a floating laboratory with scientific instruments that can match the top universities in the country. The ship can send a drill down through waters as deep as 23,000 feet and drill down more than 6,500 feet into the seafloor. Scientists studying ocean floor samples on the JR have greatly expanded our knowledge of Earth’s history, composition and climate, on topics such as plate tectonics, past mass extinctions, volcanoes, and much more. You can learn more about the ship and its latest expeditions by visiting www.joidesresolution.org.